


Armageddon

by Animercom



Series: Kokichi's Childhood/Backstory [2]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Child Abuse, Drinking, Gen, Hallucinations, Hospitalization, Interrogation, Kidnapping, Language, Murder, Oma Kokichi-centric, Pre-Game Oma Kokichi, Stress to the point of insanity, Suicide Attempt, Violence, anti-social personality disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:47:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22020553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Animercom/pseuds/Animercom
Summary: Nine-year-old Kokichi is suddenly kidnapped by his supposedly dead older brother, Kagami. Under the threat of death, Kokichi secretly masterminds the global operations of a mercenary special op group, but the constant stress and fear just might make Kokichi snap.It is not necessary to have read Part 1 to understand this fic.
Series: Kokichi's Childhood/Backstory [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1584973
Comments: 27
Kudos: 93





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of theorized backstories of Kokichi’s have some common themes: Kokichi was abused by now dead his parents, lived homeless on the streets, and formed DICE from other homeless kids. Even this fic’s predecessor follows some of those themes. But Kokichi told Shuichi something very telling about his character. After Kaede’s execution, Kokichi attempted to console Shuichi by saying, “Yep! Just hit the reset button on your feelings and you'll feel happy and cheerful in no time!” 
> 
> I was struck dumb. All I could think was, “That’s not normal.” If Kokichi could do that to his own feelings… then so much more than those three themes must have happened to Kokichi to make him the way he is. Or is it something darker within his nature? Both? Every person can come to their own conclusions, but here’s one possible answer. 
> 
> This fic follows a timeline. The DR V3 game came out January 12, 2017, and, assuming Kokichi was 16 (and a half) during the events of the game, then Kokichi was born June 21, 2000. This is rated M. Not for any sexual content, but because of the situations a child must contend with. Please read the tags.

_March 2009_

Kokichi knocked over the king chess piece with a knight. “Kamehamehaaa!” The young boy slowly lowered the king to the ground as if it were a skyscraper crashing down. “And booom!” Laughing, Kokichi clapped his hands. “I won again, Onii-chan! Take that!”

Across the board sat a teenager with straight dark hair. Messy bangs brushed against his eyebrows. Between their high cheekbones, pale skin, and dark shoulder-length hair any strangers could peg them as brothers. Kagami rested a cheek against his fist. _So I see. However, I am not far behind in our win to lose ratio._

Kokichi blew a raspberry. “Nuh uh! I’m beating you at like seventy bajillion to five.”

Kagami raised an eyebrow. The only hint of emotion on his otherwise flat affect expression. _Stop lying,_ Cheeky _Kichi._

Kokichi flicked his own cheek. Scowled. “Stop speaking English. Tell me what it means already…”

Kagami merely smirked.

“Who are you talking to, pipsqueak? Ohhh, I see. You’re out here playing with your rocks and sticks again.”

Gasping, the boy whipped his head around. A half dozen larger middle schoolers towered over Kokichi. Missing front teeth. Dirt streaked cheeks. Ripped, faded t-shirts and shorts. Behind them sat their orphanage squeezed between two urban developments. Moldy moss replaced the gaps left from peeling paint. Bags of trash lay in a heap, their guts spilling out of a hole. Flies buzzed around it.

“I’m talking to no one!” Growling, Kokichi turned back to the makeshift chess board. An assortment of matchsticks, rocks, and safety pins dotted the checkered lines drawn in the mud. He sat in the corner of the backyard near the chain link fence. No one sat across the board playing against him. “I’m playing chess. By myself cuz you dummies are all morons!”

A kid with dirty blonde hair and a crooked nose swat another’s arm. “Hey, I bet he’s talking to that ‘older brother’ of his.” They laughed like hyenas.

Kokichi’s face went aflame. “Onii-chan’s real!”

A dark long-haired boy spat on the ground. “You’re just lying. Your brother doesn’t exist. Face it. You’ve been abandoned like the rest of us. And every single family that’s ever adopted ya brought you back. You’re always making a ruckus for nice families because you waiting to be adopted by this fake brother of yours.”

“Yeah, you’re crazy!”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire!”

Kokichi threw out a hand to the side. “I’m not crazy! I’m not!”

A long, dark-haired boy crossed his arms. “You remember Hideki, don’t ya?” Kokichi stilled. “How he’d curl up in a ball and rock and flap his hands? Mutter ‘don’t touch me’ over and over? Miss Yunna sent him to the special home where all crazies go. Never to be seen again.” He leaned forward until only inches separated him and Kokichi. Grinned like a feral cat. “You’re next.”

Jaw clenched, Kokichi met his gaze. His eyes flashed. “My onii-chan’s gonna come back for me someday soon. Then I’ll never have to smell you guys ever again.”

The middle-schooler snarled. “Always acting like you’re better than us, smarter than us… You’re just a stupid little bastard!” He shoved Kokichi. Crying out, Kokichi fell flat on his behind. The rock chess pieces scattered. Kokichi gasped.

Sneering, the boys kicked the chess pieces into the grass. Stamped and rubbed the lines drawn in the mud, erasing it. “Who’s top dog now?”

“Stupid punk!”

“We’re stronger than you, you trailer park trash!”

“No, don’t!” Kokichi latched onto a boy’s leg, trying to stop him. _That’s me and Onii-chan’s…!_

Laughing, they began kicking and stomping Kokichi. Wincing, Kokichi clutched his head. Squeezed his eyes shut. Someone kicked his ribs. His fingers, breaking them. Stomach. Head. Blood oozed into his vision.

“Apologize!”

“Beg for our forgiveness!”

A memory replayed before Kokichi’s eyes. Kagami’s words to him as Kokichi groveled on the floor, blood from his father whipping him pooling onto the floor.

“Then be the worst villain that ever lived. Set the world on fire. Laugh as it burns. Together we can rule over the remains. So, Kokichi, never bow low to anyone.”

Kokichi dug his fingers into his head. Screamed above the others’ cries. “Touya steals alcohol from Miss Yuna!!”

Everyone froze. Stared at the dark-haired boy. Touya stilled. “Wh-what are you talking about now, you liar–?”

“Can’t you smell it on his breath? His clothes? Just check the broken dryer and underneath the basements stairs. There you’ll find Miss Yuna’s booze!”

Frowning, the kids shot each other glances. Murmurs arose.

“And you, Riko!” Kokichi sat up, wincing. The dirty blonde boy flinched. “I saw you got a bruise on your arm. You and Touya do everything together. Found out about Touya’s little secret and he lash out?”

Backing up, Riko yanked his sleeve down. “N-no, I…”

Kokichi rose to his feet. Hand on his hip, he pointed at the four other kids. “And you guys are always pushing the little ones around for money! Must be visiting Eichi’s down the street and buying lottery tickets. Maybe even doing some of the gambling or drugs the grownups do, too, huuuh?”

A pudgy-faced boy blanched. “H-how do you know all that?”

“Shut up!” Another yelled, shoving his shoulder.

An image flashed before Kokichi’s eyes. His father passed out drunk in the worn armchair, beer and cig dangling from his hands. Horse race flyers laid scattered on the floor. His knuckles red from striking Kokichi across the face.

Kokichi scoffed. _Compared to him, you’re ants._

Kokichi stepped forward. Raised his arms to the side as he slowly spun. “Tsk, tsk guys. How could you do such bad, bad things? You’re middle-schoolers but already are addicts! No one will adopt you now.” Gasping, the kids stared at him. Some stepped back. Another’s jaw quivered. Finger to his lips, Kokichi grinned. Voice low, he emphasized every word, “No one will ever love you. Forever unloved until you die all alone. So who’s trash now?”

Screaming, the kids fled. Their wailing sobs echoed throughout the neighborhood. Face blank, Kokichi watched them run.

The rest of Kokichi’s memory arose in his mind.

“…So, Kokichi, never bow low to anyone.”

A hoarse choking noise – a laugh. “S-stupid, Onii-chan. I’m beating you in chess, so I’m smarter.” Kokichi rose onto his elbows and lifted his head. Tears and snot were smeared across his cheeks. Split, swollen lips. Black eye. But a slow, bright flame burned in his eyes. He grinned. “I’m the leader. You take orders from me.”

Kagami smirked. “We’ll see about that.”

 _Them? Be my minions?_ Kokichi shook his head. _Useless._

Exhaling, Kokichi crouched down and began collecting stones. “Want to play another round, Onii-chan?”

_Fine, whatever._

“Cool! Just watch me, I’m gonna beat you this time, too!”

* * *

Sighing heavily, Yuna came to a stop behind the crouched form of Kokichi. Her kyphotic back smarted. Yuna ran a hand through her white hair. “I got five kids hysterically sobbing – three that have pissed their pants – and one kid missing. You proud of yourself?”

Kokichi stilled. The hand holding a mock chess piece lowered to the ground. He breathed, “Am I crazy?”

“Well, they say crazy and genius are two sides of the same coin.” Yuna shook her head slightly. _And if I was in your situation, I’d go crazy too._

A sniff.

“Come now, why are you crying?”

Kokichi rubbed his face. Resumed playing the game. “I’m not.”

But Yuna could see traces of tear tracks running down his face.

* * *

_August 2009_

Kokichi strode out of the SDF headquarters, cape billowing behind him. Besides the boy walked the large, muscular form of Lieutenant General Mori. The sun glinted off the medals and lapels of his dark green uniform. They approached the electric ten-foot chain fence. The guards at the entrance eyed them. Mori led Kokichi to the side, by a stone pillar emblazoned with “SDF Ground Forces”.

“Listen, boy.” Despite speaking quietly, Mori’s gravelly voice carried. “Now that Oma, your older brother…” Mori glanced at the peaked cap on Kokichi’s head. “Now that your older brother’s died in combat in Iraq, are you on your own?”

Kokichi pulled down the brim of his hat. Kagami had worn the villain-like hat and cape despite making it easy for the enemy to spy him. These last living mementos Kokichi had reclaimed thanks to Mori’s aid. Beneath the cape, Kokichi wore a suit with the sleeves and pant legs rolled up. A black suit – for mourning.

Mori exhaled heavily. “Do know where you’ll be sleeping tonight?”

Kokichi gazed at the lieutenant, expression neutral. Frowning, Mori pressed, “Do you need me to call anyone on your behalf? The police? Your orphanage? Or–”

Kokichi shook his head. Closed his eyes. “I’m tired of joining and leaving families. In two years, I’ve been kicked out of over 30 homes. I’m done.” Beneath the cap’s brim, Kokichi’s lavender eyes gleamed. “I’ll make my own family. My own team and lead them. Carry on Onii-chan’s promise to me.”

_“I… I can be. I can be your Dad. And maybe…” Kagami exhaled. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll find someone to be your mom. If there’s any kids, you’d be the older brother. That would be a new family.”_

Mori grimaced, deepening the lines on his face. He gazed out across the complex. The overhang above the building’s entrance was adorned with patriotic white and red bunting. The Japanese flag snapped in the wind. Grunting and chanting echoed from the distance – soldiers marching during training.

Hands behind his back, Mori stared off into the distance. “I don’t know how you were able to analyze me and guess my ego kept me from getting a promotion, but you’re right. I’ve been stuck here for the past 20 years training new recruits. I can discern leaders from the rank and file.” Mori’s deep brown eyes bore into Kokichi. “So believe me when I say you are strongest person I’ve ever seen. I know you’ll change the face of this country. Maybe even the world.

“And on your journey, young man, you’ll come across countless adversaries who’d love nothing more than to cut you down. But listen. It’s impossible to act strong 100% of the time.” Mori placed his hands on Kokichi’s shoulders. Gripped them tight. “Use your weakness as a weapon. Show your enemies your flaws. Watch them grow complacent and weak. Then strike. Victory shall be yours. You understand, son?”

“I think so.”

Mori brushed the dust off Kokichi’s shoulders. Pulled down his hat, securing it in place. “Good.” He handed the boy a business card from a chest pocket. “If you ever need me for anything, call.”

Kokichi swallowed. “Thank you. Farewell.”

Cape snapping, Kokichi turned away. At Mori’s nod, the guards let Kokichi pass through the gate. Kokichi stopped. Turned. Looked over the courtyard. The sun shone off the rows of windows of the concrete headquarters. Kokichi looked up. At the endless expanse of blue.

Kokichi lifted his cap up, as if he could touch the sky with it.

“Are you watching me, Onii-chan…?”

The breeze blew across his cheek.

Sighing quietly, Kokichi lowered the hat. Started to turn to the road. Something moving caught his eye. One of the guards flanking the gate was approaching him.

Kokichi gasped. Dropped the hat. “O-Onii-chan…?” Tears welled in his eyes. Smiling wide, Kokichi ran forward, arms spread wide. “Onii-chan!!”

The man lunged. Everything went dark.

* * *

Kagami tore the brown bag off of Kokichi’s head. Gasping, Kokichi leaned forward in the chair. His hat and cape were gone, leaving him in a too-big suit. Panting heavily, Kokichi’s eyes darted over the surroundings. A small, cramped room. Rusty pipes running down the brown walls. Wooden table with a single naked bulb hanging over it. Blinking, Kokichi tried to move his hands. Ropes bound his wrists and feet to the chair. Grunting, Kokichi fought against the restraints.

Kagami walked out from behind the boy and crossed the room to stand next to the door. Kokichi’s eyes watched him. “You’re really… You’re really ali–”

A low chuckling resounded. Kokichi flinched.

A man with slicked back black hair sat in a chair across the table. He leaned forward. He smiled, his white teeth gleaming like a wolf. “Ahh. You’re awake.”

Kokichi squeaked, “Who–?” He cleared his throat. “Who’re you?”

“You may call me Osiris. Do you know what that is?” After a moment, Kokichi shook his head. “Osiris is the Egyptian god of death and the underworld.”

Frowning, Kokichi looked around, lost. “Wh-wha–? What’s going on? Why have you–?”

“Do you have any idea where you are?”

Kokichi scowled. “What? No, I don’t have to–”

Osiris steepled his fingers. “Do you wish to see the light of day ever again? Now don’t make me repeat myself.”

Kokichi looked at Kagami, lavender eyes searching. Years of Kagami instructing Kokichi to hide his genius, to achieve average grades at school had been drilled into him.

Kagami’s gaze raked over the younger brother he hadn’t seen in two years. His cherub cheeks had evened out. Hair messy as ever. Only a couple inches taller. Kagami nodded a millimeter. Dragged a thumb across his neck. Kokichi blanched.

After swallowing hard, Kokichi met Osiris’ gaze. The boy rattled off, “I went to the SDF this morning but you have a five o’clock shadow of a beard. Hours have passed. If you took me on a plane I don’t know what country we could be in. But I still think we’re in Japan.”

Osiris raised a bushy eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Because it smells like rat poop and mold. So this is a basement or a warehouse. And nobody really goes to old warehouses so they’re a good place to hide if you don’t know the area. And I don’t think you do; Japanese people rarely have beards and your Japanese is accented. Sounds… Russian?”

Kagami smirked. _He’s finally learned how to analyze._

Osiris grunted. “And why do you think you’re here?”

Kokichi glanced at Kagami. Accessed how he stood beside the door, arms at his sides, heels together. Osiris, however, sat at the head of the table. “Onii-chan takes orders from you. He did… he did something bad. That’s why you took me.”

Chair creaking, Osiris leaned back. Crossed his arms over his muscular chest. He wore a simple, tie-less suit, revealing nothing about himself. Osiris nodded slightly to himself. “Very, very good…”

Kokichi’s voice quavered. “Wh-what are you going to do with me?”

“Just ask some questions.” Rising, Osiris nodded at Kagami. The elder Oma stepped forward to claim Osiris’ seat.

Kokichi scoffed. “What, not going to ask me yourself? Scared of a li’l kid?”

In a blink, Osiris shoved a gun between Kokichi’s eyes. Yelping, Kokichi flinched back. The acidic smell of urine arose.

Accent thick, Osiris hissed, “What do you see.”

“Aaaa… a b-bullet.”

“Speak out of turn again, and this bullet will tear through your skull.”

Osiris left. Pale, Kokichi stared at Kagami like a deer caught in crosshairs. He trembled. The elder brother sighed. _I warned you._ Kagami sat. Folded his hands. “Answer all questions thoroughly and honestly. Lie, and we’ll know.” Osiris’ voice spoke to Kagami through an earpiece. Speaking for Osiris, Kagami asked, “What’s your name?”

Kokichi screwed his eyes shut. Took several steadying breaths. After thirty seconds, he whispered, “Kokichi… Kokichi Oma.”

“What’s your age?”

“I’m nine.”

“What’s your birthday?”

“June 21.”

“The name of the school you attend?”

The boy blinked. “Wha…? Um, Kobayashi Elementary School.”

“What happened to your parents?”

Kokichi grimaced. “They…” He hung his head. “They’re dead.”

“How did they die?”

“Daddy was… Daddy was hitting me again because I stole toys and games from stores. But that time he, he had his belt and…” Kokichi swallowed. “Mommy was there too. You came and you…” Kokichi glared with red-rimmed eyes. “You killed them. Burned our house down.”

“What occurred afterwards?”

“Well, you know, we didn’t have a home anymore… We had to live on the streets. To get food, you taught me how to steal and lie and read people.”

“Describe your training.”

“You know this already… We started with people watching at parks and stuff. I’d say which targets would be easy or hard marks to steal from. Then we’d plan different ways to steal from stores.” 

Kagami gazed down at his folded hands. A memory replayed in his mind’s eye. Him and Kokichi sitting at a park bench both licking popsicles. Children hung off monkey bars and rock climbed a giant playset. Gossiping mothers conversed with each other at a picnic table beneath a tree. Kagami nodded at a young girl playing in the sandbox alone. The five-year-old held her wrist as she shoveled through the sand. She rose to her feet and stumbled through the sandbox to retrieve her doll. “What about her?”

Kokichi swung his legs. Licked the dripping popsicle. “Her daddy probably hits her. She was limping and holding her wrist like it hurt.”

Kagami rose his hand to a teenager standing outside a boutique store across the street. “Her?”

“Wow, she’s reaaal skinny! Why’s that? And she hasn’t stopped fixing her makeup this entire time. Why is she trying to look pretty?”

“Good observation. She most likely she has anorexia, an eating disorder. In order words, she’s afraid of getting fat and eats very little to nothing. Why?” Kagami shrugged. “Wants boys to like her.”

Laughing, Kokichi lightly pushed his brother’s chest. “Go tell her you like her. Maybe then she’ll get better.”

“What? No!”

“Doooo it.”

“Stop it, Kokichi.”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Oh, I see. You think she’s got cooties. You’re _such_ a child.”

Kagami shoved him off the bench. Laughing and giggling, Kokichi rolled onto his side and into sitting. Leaves in his hair, Kokichi smiled wide.

Kagami shook his head. _And then when he noticed his popsicle had fallen to the ground, he started wailing. He tackled me and tried wrestling my popsicle from my hand–_

“ASK THE QUESTION!” Osiris screamed over the ear mic.

Kagami tensed.

Across the table, Kokichi bit his lip. “Are we done yet?”

_No. We’ve only just begun._

* * *

“What are you most afraid of?”

“Being alone…” Kokichi coughed. Hours of answering questions had left his voice raw. “Bugs. C-can I have… some water? Please…”

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Pur… purple.” The boy shifted in the chair, uncomfortable with the seat. Without a change of clothes, he was still sitting in his urine.

“What other abilities do you have?”

With sweat dripping down his pale face, Kokichi looked like a melting wax candle. “Played chess… since four.”

“Why is purple your favorite color?”

Kokichi let his head fall back. Eyes drifted closed. Sweat plastered his bangs to his forehead. “I wanna make my hair purple. Like the… the cool bad guys on TV.”

Osiris spoke in Kagami’s ear mike, relaying the next question. Kagami paused. Inhaled deeply, breathing in the mold. His every muscle went taunt. “Do you… do you love me?”

The pipes groaned like a sinking ship.

Kokichi cracked open his eyes. Lulled his head forward. Between the bangs, his lavender eyes sparked and burned like fire. “You… you killed Mommy and Daddy. Broke your promise to me. Left me at an orphanage. For two years I waited for you to come back, and then you…” His voice faltered. “Then you do this to me…?” He shook his head. Took a steadying breath. Whispered, “Do you remember what I last said to you?”

_“I hate you. All I wanted… was a family. And you took that away from me.”_

Kokichi leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. Tears spilled over onto his cheeks. Teeth bared, he hissed, “I don’t hate you. I, I _despise_ you. I wish you really were dead.”

Kagami stilled.

Hiccupping, Kokichi looked away. He stared at the wall, breath hitching. His sniffing echoed in the small space.

Kagami closed his eyes in a long blink. _Kokichi, you… you were waiting for me?_

Osiris barked, “That is all. Meet me outside.”

Kagami stood up, chair clattering, and shut the door behind him. Osiris sat at a nearby table in the barren warehouse. Eyes narrowed, Osiris watched security footage of the interrogation room from his laptop. Kagami studied him. Mid-fifties. Thick, muscular body. His large, meaty hand could strangle Kagami one-handedly.

“He certainly does have analytical abilities of note.” Osiris rubbed along his strong, pronounced jaw. “Why, from my stubble and the smell of mold alone he could ascertain his location. Determine our relationship at a mere glance. To pull clues from thin air like that when under such enormous pressure… _Moy Bog_. He could be the greatest mind of the century.” Exhaling, Osiris rested his hand over his mouth and nose. His hooked nose resembled a hawk’s beak. “But he remains as an untrained child.” Standing up, Osiris gazed down at Kagami. His ice blue eyes pierced the Oma. “You have six months to make him useful to us. Or his blood will be on your hands… and the walls.” He flashed a wolfish grin. “I’ll leave it to your imagination just how I’ll make you kill him.”

Boots squelching on the concrete, Osiris strode off.

Kagami swallowed. He whispered, “Understood, sir.”

* * *

“Are you ready?” asked Kagami.

Kokichi looked at anywhere but his brother across the table. The spartan two-bedroom apartment was only outfitted with the bare essentials like a desk and fridge. A paltry selection of new video games Kagami bought lay on the couch, untouched. Kokichi gazed at the white panel door. He hadn’t been outside the past week. Not since his initial kidnapping.

“I said are you ready?”

Instead of meeting his eyes, Kokichi gazed at his shoulder. Kagami’s jacket had a dark stain on it. Kokichi’s heart pounded. _Could that be–? How did it–? Am I next–?_

Kokichi swallowed hard. Placed his hands on the desk face down. Gave a tight nod.

Kagami pursued the stack of books on the desk. Japanese to English textbooks. Geography. Strategies to create and break codes. Exercises to improve and strengthen memory.

Kagami selected Geography. Opened to chapter two. “What is the capital of the US?”

“Washington D.C.”

“The US government is split into three branches. What are they?”

“Uh, the president, the courts, and the…” Kokichi screwed his eyes shut. Sweat slid down. “The… parliament?”

Kagami reached across the table and broke his finger. Kokichi hissed through clenched teeth. Leaning forward, they boy sucked in heavy breaths. _That finger is in pain. That is not me. That is not my hand. I am not in pain. That finger is in pain. That is not me…_

“It’s Executive, Judiciary, and the Legislative branches. What are the main functions of the Executive branch?”

“T-to lead the country… say yes or no to new laws and… Umm…” Kokichi bit his lip so hard he tasted blood. _Come on! I_ just _studied that chapter. Why can’t I remember? I don’t wanna get hurt anymore…_

Eyes closed, Kokichi sucked in a few deep breaths. _I’m not scared. That’s not me. That finger is in pain. That is not me._

Kagami exhaled. He broke another finger. Kokichi winced. The pain barely registered.

Kagami prompted, “The Executive branch appoints judges to…”

Breathing out, Kokichi leaned back in the chair. Relaxed his tense muscles. “The highest court.”

“It’s ‘Supreme Court’. The president also is Commander in Chief of the army. Now about the Judiciary branch…”

* * *

_September 2009_

Eyes wide, Kokichi scrutinized his surroundings. He was walking a few paces behind Kagami on busy city street. Colorful banners and signs hung off the stores. A handful of trees lined the sidewalk. Cigarette butts and empty cans rested against gutters. Cars crawled past, horns blaring.

A man standing at a bus stop flipped through a newspaper. _Sapporo Times._ Sapporo – hundreds of miles from the orphanage in Kyoto and Kokichi’s Tokyo hometown.

Someone brushed into Kokichi’s hand with broken fingers. Kokichi hissed. Earbuds in, the teenager walked past, never making eye contact.

Kokichi gazed at his hand. Casts set his broken left, middle, and ring fingers. Two weeks after the study session they only throbbed. Before the man bumped into them, Kokichi hadn’t felt them at all. He only felt the new bruises and scrapes from daily training sessions with Kagami. Frowning, Kokichi ran a finger down the green cast. _If Onii-chan was going to fix them, why would he break them at all? To make me feel pain…? To get used to feeling pain? Or does he just wanna hurt me…_

“Hey.”

Kokichi looked up. Face neutral, Kagami stood still, half turned back to the boy. His ragged brown trench coat billowed in the wind. “Oh, sorry.” Kokichi reached to hold Kagami’s hand.

For the five months they lived on the streets, Kagami forced Kokichi to hold hands on crowded streets. Kokichi would often slip ahead to go window stopping, or spy a cool looking person and run off. “One of these days you’re going to get run over,” Kagami would scold.

“No, I won’t. I’d stop the car with my bare hands! Like this: Rrragh! You know, like Hulk. Or Doctor Octopus! Doctor Octopus could do that, right?”

“I don’t care.”

“He totally could. But he’s pretty lame. Joker’s better. Vegeta’s good too. Way cooler than boring and predictable Goku…”

Memory fading away, Kokichi held his brother’s hand, smiling. 

Kagami wrenched his hand away. Kokichi froze. He felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped over him. Biting his lip, Kokichi looked down. At his hand with broken fingers. Jaw clenched, Kokichi balled his other fist.

After buying a newspaper from a stand, Kagami leaned against a brick wall of an alley. He unfolded it, hiding his mouth and the smaller Kokichi out of sight. The elder Oma spoke quietly. “Now that you’re starting to make progress with your studies and self-defense training, we’re going to start learning out in the field. How to recognize when you’re being tailed. Doubling back and taking side routes to lose someone following you – similar to defensive driving. And practicing tailing persons of interest without being discovered.”

Kokichi frowned. _Tailing? Persons of what?_

Kagami nodded at a girl across the street. A woman in her early twenties was speaking on a cell phone, walking away from them. She turned a corner, disappearing into the crowd. “Follow her. And don’t get noticed.”

Kokichi whipped his head back to his brother. “Wait, what? Now? Aren’t you going to teach…?”

Eyes boring into him, Kagami emphasized every word. “Do not lose her.”

Kokichi shuddered. Heart pounding, he chased after her. With every heartbeat, his broken fingers throbbed.

* * *

Sweat sliding down, Kokichi scanned the area. _What do I do…?_ He gripped his backpack’s arms tighter. While tailing her, Kokichi stole the bookbag from a kid who stupidly set it on the ground and snatched a hat off another in passing. The backpack disguised him as a student walking home from school; the hat hid his face.

Across the street, the woman sat at an outdoor café with a female friend. Kokichi studied her for the thousandth time. Black hair pulled back in a ponytail. A scarf and blouse with a floral skirt – a knockoff the latest trend. _Super plain. Boring. Nothing special about her at all._

The girl laughed at something her friend said. Kokichi ground his teeth. _But Onii-chan’s gonna ask me about how much I learned about her. I hafta get closer. Close enough to hear what she’s saying without being spotted..._

The pair sat at a table at the café’s edge. The neighboring apartment complex had a metal fence encircling a row of bushes. If Kokichi sat around the corner hiding behind the bushes, he’d be a few feet away without being in their sight. However, the street was fairly busy. _Everyone would think me sitting there by myself is weird._ Humming, Kokichi turned around. A man was selling takoyaki from a stand in a park. _But if I was eating takoyaki… Bingo!_ “Nee-heehee!” _I’m so smart._

After glancing around, Kokichi pulled down his hat and sped walked towards the stand. Without breaking stride, Kokichi lifted a man’s wallet. He waited in line, paid for meal with the stolen money, and accepted the takoyaki. The sizzling aroma of octopus balls wafted up. In the span of a blink, Kokichi downed three of them. Chewing, Kokichi turned around. He scanned the area.

Kids in jackets playing with Frisbees and kites. Soccer moms walking their dogs. Two men sitting on a bench, gazing out over the area. Kokichi frowned. _Why are two grown-ups hanging out at a park? They should be working, but they’re just watching everybody._ Gasping, Kokichi’s eyes went wide.

Kokichi snapped his head around, searching. People clogged up the streets like a blood clot. _Onii-chan’s not here._ He hadn’t seen Kagami for hours. But if Kokichi tried to run away, Kagami would assuredly catch him. The memory of staring down a gun barrel arose.

_But if I go to them, maybe…_

Kokichi’s stomach twisted and writhed. Cold sweat broke out across his clammy face. His hands shook. _If I don’t do it, I might never see one again._ Kokichi swallowed hard. He scanned the crowds once, twice, three times before walking towards them, head down.

“U-um… Mr. Policemen?”

The two men stiffened. One buffer man with limp chestnut hair narrowed his eyes. “How the hell does this kid know–?”

“I-I was… taken.”

The slender man in plainclothes reached for his belt. “Taken? What do you mean?”

Sweating, Kokichi snuck another glance around the bordering streets. Throngs of faceless people shuffled past. A flash of shoulder-length dark hair. _Is that Onii-chan?_ Another slim man around the same height as Kagami. _Or him?_ Kokichi’s stomach churned. Bile arose. _No, stop it. Hurry before he really comes._

Swallowing, Kokichi rasped, “I was k-kidnapped.” _By my brother._ “By some man. They took me from my orphanage – No, actually SDF headquarters. And now they’re training me and stuff. I don’t know what for. Like a spy or soldier or something.” Kokichi balled his shirt, tears welling up. “I don’t, I don’t like it…”

Brows furrowed, the two officers shared a look. The more muscular man barked, “Look kid, we don’t got time for your little imaginary advent–”

“I’m not lying!!”

Kids and passersby stopped to stare.

In a rush, Kokichi blurted, “I’m not crazy. I’m not, I’m not! Look, see! I couldn’t have done this to myself.” Kokichi lifted up his sweatshirt. A bruise the shape of a fist bloomed on his chest. A momento from last night’s self-defense training.

The officers tensed. While the quarterback-size man stood and gazed the area, the other laid a hand on Kokichi’s shoulder. “It’s all right. We’ll take you to a safe place.”

The hair on the nape of Kokichi’s neck stood on end. “Where?”

The lean man stood and nodded at his partner. “The station. We’ll call your parents from there.”

“I-I don’t have parents.” The officer frowned. Realization struck Kokichi like lightning. “You’re gonna take me back to the orphanage, aren’t you? Aren’t you?!” Shouting, Kokichi smacked the officer’s hand away. Growling, the officer gripped tighter. People stared and pointed. “Nooo! I don’t wanna go back there! I don’t wanna go back!”

“Listen, kid–”

Kagami’s voice replayed in Kokichi’s mind. “If you’re caught in someone’s grip, stomp on the top of their foot.”

Teeth clenched, Kokichi crushed the policeman’s instep. He howled. Freed, Kokichi hurled his backpack at the officer’s face. Kokichi bolted.

“You little shit! Get back here!”

Kokichi dove headfirst into the crowd of people on the streets. Shouting, the policemen chased after him. Breathing hard, Kokichi ducked, weaved, elbowed people out of the way. People cried out. Cursed. Kokichi dashed past them, not slowing down.

Kagami’s instructions echoed in Kokichi’s mind. “Doubling back and taking side routes to lose someone following you.”

Kokichi ducked into an alley. He plunged into a maze of paths, racing past dumpsters behind stores and climbing over metal fences.

“Kokichi!”

He looked up. Kagami had emerged from a side alley, trench coat flapping. “In here!”

 _Onii-chan!_ smiled Kokichi, tears in his eyes. He turned into the backstreet. Dumpsters lined the brick walls.

Two gunshots fired off behind him.

Kokichi whipped around. He gasped.

The officers lay on the ground, blood pooling from their chest. Standing over them, Kagami blew the smoke rising from his gun’s barrel. He shoved the gun in its hoister inside his trench coat.

Eyes locked, Kokichi stared at the corpses. At how still the men laid. The blood pooling farther and farther from the bodies. How the flies from the garbage started buzzing over them. Whimpering, Kokichi fell to his knees. “Wh-wha…? You…? W-why…?! Ulp!” He retched.

Kagami sidestepped the litter and garbage spilling from a dumpster. He knelt before Kokichi. “Look at me.” Trembling, Kokichi wiped his mouth. “I said, look at me.” Kagami seized his chin and forced it up, bringing their faces a few inches from each other. Kokichi winced. Tears blurred his vision.

Kagami stared at him, his dark eyes like bottomless pits. “Escaping is pointless. Even if you did, where would you go? Our parents are dead, the house burned down. Or what, go back to that dump of an orphanage to never be adopted? You have nowhere to go.” Kagami glanced behind him, at the dead officers Kokichi ran away from. “However, I don’t need to tell you this, do I?”

Kokichi screwed his eyes shut.

“Accept this situation, get stronger, or die. Remember this pain. Embrace it. Let it make you stronger. Because if you’re not useful to Osiris after five more months…” Kagami stood. Kagami’s eyes pinned him like a dead insect to a corkboard. “You will die. Run away, and I will keep killing people until I find you.”

Lightheaded, Kokichi swayed. Vision swirled and darkened.

“Now hurry up. We cannot afford to be caught here.” Kagami grabbed the boy’s upper arm, hauled Kokichi to his feet, and, dragging him, ran deeper into the darkness of the alley.

“Not when you have so much left to learn.”

* * *

_February 2010_

Kagami’s staticky voice spoke. “Reached objective site. Retrieving the cargo now.”

Osiris picked up the radio com device. “Copy that. You have ten minutes.”

“Yes sir.”

Biting his thumb nail, Kokichi stood behind Osiris in the back of a large van. A spread of monitors covered a wall. Wires crossed the floor like a den of snakes. Heat poured off the computer PCs behind Kokichi. Their cooling fans droned loudly.

Osiris sat before a desk before the monitors, wearing a plumber uniform disguise. Kokichi studied his features. Slicked back hair. Ice blue eyes. Hooked nose. Stubble along his pronounced jaw. Thick build. Six months since Kokichi last saw him in person; last night since Kokichi saw Osiris in his nightmares. Swallowing, Kokichi looked away.

On the monitors security footage played. Kagami, dressed in a white lab coat and button up, was using a blowtorch on a safe. His female partner wore not only a lab coat but a gas mask that concealed her identity. Nothing covered Kagami’s face. _If the guys who own the place see Onii-chan… they would see he doesn’t belong there. He’ll be in danger._ Kokichi cut a glance at Osiris. Osiris grinned. _God of underworld and death,_ Kokichi remembered. He shuddered.

As Kagami worked on the safe, the woman searched the room, eye on the door. Colored liquid-filled phials and flasks like a robust science laboratory at a school. Steam arose from a frying pan over a burner.

Kagami burned through the safe door. He gently lowered the door to the floor by the safe’s wheel. Together Kagami and his partner shoved dozens of containers of pills into their suitcases.

_Is that… medicine? Why would they steal medicine?_

A memory from his time on the streets replayed in Kokichi’s mind. Kagami instructed, “If you see anyone offer you something that looks like a pill, don’t take it. It’s drugs. Using drugs makes you act even worse than an alcoholic.”

Hugging himself, Kokichi glared at the screen. _Even worse than Daddy. How could you, Onii-chan…?_

Osiris barked, “You have five minutes left. Report your status.”

Kagami answered, “We have roughly five thousand.”

“Very well. Leave.”

Frowning, Kagami paused in filling up the suitcase. His fellow operative glanced at him. “We have room still for more than double that if–”

Osiris snapped, “Then the client should have paid us double the amount. It is not your place to question orders!”

Flinching, Kokichi ducked behind a computer tower. _He wasn’t this angry when I first met him… are things going bad?_

“Is that clear, Ammit?”

Kagami smirked. “Crystal, sir.” Face twisting, Osiris swore. Before he could yell again, Kagami continued, “Isis and I will leave down route A through the factory. We’ll meet up with Horus and Anubis, following contingency plan 1C.”

Osiris slammed down the com device. The leader muttered, “He better be worth it… _Chertov vyskochka_.”

Kokichi bit his thumb nail to the quick watching his brother and partner navigate the facility. After some twists and turns, Kagami and his partner met up with two other operatives. Horus and Anubis wore security uniforms. Any security guard they found, they shot dead. Kokichi flinched at every gunshot.

The four entered the quiet factory. Gangways crisscrossed high above their heads. Box-shaped machines which processed and stamped pills with numbers lay still. Blue cylindrical containers dotted the landscape. Wires, vents, and thick pipes stemmed from the machinery. The pharmaceuticals Kagami took were smaller than the pills in the factory. _Could the pills Onii-chan picked up be a new type of medicine or drug?_

An alarm blared. Everything flashed red.

Kagami and the others ran for the exit. Security burst into the factory, shouting. They fired. Kagami was shot in the shoulder. Grunting, he seized it with his free hand. Kokichi gasped. _Onii-chan!_

Osiris shouted, “Use the machines for cover! Return fire!”

_Fight back? They should be running away!_

Teeth gritted, Kagami rolled behind a machine processor. The other operatives ducked and fired back. From an overhead camera, Kokichi could see the men getting in formation to surround Kagami and the agents. They were sitting ducks.

Screwing his eyes shut, Kokichi clamped his hands over his ears. _Think! How can they get out of there?_ The factory’s blueprints Osiris showed him flashed through his mind. _That’s it! But wait… those bad security guys need to protect this place. So they would use…_

Kokichi lunged for the com device. “Watch out! They’re coming from above! Use the side door–”

Osiris backhanded Kokichi across the face. The boy’s head smashed into a computer tower. Spittle flying, Osiris screamed, “You do not give orders!!”

Isis’ head jerked up. “A child’s voice…?” Kagami grabbed her arm and pulled her under the machinery.

Guards ran across the gangways above, carrying semi-automatic machine guns. Men hired to guard the drugs. Bullets rained like deadly hail. Horus ducked behind a shelf of vials. Bullets tore through Anubis’ chest like wax paper.

Kokichi watched through splayed fingers. _Oh god, oh no. Oh god, oh no!_

Pointing to the side exit, Kagami shouted to Horus. “Come on!”

Sweat running down, Horus looked back at Anubis. Swallowed.

“Don’t!”

Horus rolled out from behind the shelves, reaching for Anubis. The bullets rained down harder.

Swearing under his breath, Kagami and Isis bolted for the exit, using the diversion as cover. The burst through the door, not looking back.

Until the moment Kagami returned to the van, Kokichi didn’t take his eyes off the monitors for a second.

* * *

Osiris grit his teeth. He slammed a fist on the desk beneath the van’s monitors. “He questioned my orders.”

Despite his wounded shoulder, Kagami stood tall. He lifted his chin, eyes sparking. “His quick thinking and analysis of the enemy’s counter movements saved two lives and the mission.”

Exhaling, Osiris leaned back in the chair by the monitors. He waved a hand. “Yes, I’m aware.”

Kokichi glanced back and forth, like watching an intense tennis match. The boy backed up towards the van’s double doors.

_“Because if you’re not useful to Osiris after five more months… you will die.”_

Osiris’ hawk eyes trained on Kokichi. The boy froze. Masked his expression into a flat affect, mirroring his brother.

Kagami continued, “He is young. Untrained. But that means you can shape and mold his mind to however you see fit. And as he becomes older, you can make him your successor.”

Humming, Osiris rubbed his jaw’s stubble. “Successor, huh? Well, judging from your reports, he has grown by leaps and bounds these past months. Certainty could be useful in the future.”

Osiris stood. Over six feet tall and muscular he towered over the boy. Footsteps heavy and deliberate, Osiris walked over. Patted Kokichi’s head. Kokichi flinched. “You shall be called Armageddon. Do you know what that means, boy?”

After a moment, Kokichi shook his head.

The screens’ light cast shadows on Osiris’ face. He grinned, every tooth visible. “It means the end times. The end of the world.”

“What?” Kokichi squeaked. Osiris chuckled low in his throat. Then he threw his head back and laughed. The peals echoed through the space.

Kagami looked away.

Grimacing, Kokichi balled his shirt. Screwed his eyes shut against the tears.

_End of the world? What does that mean? Just what do they want from me?_


	2. Chapter 2

_February 2010_

Wincing, Kagami peeled off his shirt. The smell of blood filled the hotel room. Kokichi, sitting on the bed behind Kagami, tossed the shirt onto the floor. Kagami exhaled slowly. He unwrapped the makeshift tourniquet Isis fastened around his shoulder. Kagami was lucky he only had a bullet wound from stealing drugs from a pharmaceutical factory. Others had died.

Kagami looked over his shoulder. “You have the gauze and bandages?” Nodding, Kokichi held up the first aid kit. “Scissors.” Kokichi handed them over. Grimacing, Kagami cut through the blood-soaked bandages.

Stomach clenching, Kokichi turned away. He scanned the room. Wall sconces and end tables flanked the bed. Tables and chairs sat before a flat screen TV on the right. A metal fence partition outlined a living room with fainting couches and ottomans. Curtains were drawn over the large window.

“Gauze.” Kokichi passed them to operative. “Good. Now help me bind my shoulder. Make sure it’s tight.”

“Okay.”

Kokichi fell into the rhythm of wrapping his shoulder. He faintly smiled. Memories resurfaced. All the times Kokichi helped treat Kagami’s injuries from dumpster diving. On Kokichi’s first scavenging attempt, he cut his arm on a rusty chain link fence. _And when I got an infection, Kagami got me medicine and let me sleep in his bed._ Kokichi closed his eyes, remembering. _Being together was warmer. Safe. If Daddy came up, Onii-chan would have protected me._

“Now pay attention. I’ll explain what Pharaoh is.” Scowling, Kagami glanced over his shoulder. “Are you listening?”

Kokichi jerked. The memory shattered. “U-um, uh-huh.”

As Kagami tended his wound, he explained. “Pharaoh is the organization Osiris leads. We’re a mercenary special forces group that works across the globe. Stealing priceless artifacts like jewels and art works, holding CEOs hostage for ransom, blackmailing politicians and stock brokers – we’ll do any dirty work asked if for the right price. I’ll explain later in more detail and…” Kagami flinched. “…in simpler terms later. But remember this.

“You shall remain a secret to the other operatives. No one is to know a child is connected to Pharaoh. You only answer to Osiris. Learn from Osiris about how to analyze and create strategies for missions. Be useful to him. We had avoided Father, but now you have to make Osiris happy.”

Kokichi glared. “Says the person who joined the SDF like Daddy wanted.” Growing up, the brothers heard their father say thousands of times how enlisting in the SDF ran in the Oma family. While drunk, their father would blather on about protecting Japan from filthy foreigners and being productive members of society.

Kagami exhaled. “I didn’t expect to be with SDF for long.”

 _What does that mean? He wanted to quit? Or…_ Kokichi shook the thought away. Jaw clenched, Kokichi leaned forward. “And you stole a bunch of drugs, didn’t you? You said it yourself that drugs are worse than Daddy drinking! And you hate Daddy more than anyone in the whole world!”

Sighing, Kagami held his face with a hand. “I was stealing, not using them. There’s a difference.” Shrugging on his shirt, Kagami stood. “I told you before. This is our lives now. Accept it. Embrace the pain. Get stronger.”

Kokichi gazed at the ground. The heater hummed. Tools clattered as Kagami returned to the supplies back in the first aid kit. The boy glanced sidelong at Kagami’s shoulder. Blood stained the button-up. Kokichi could still vividly remember Anubis being shot dead.

_What if Onii-chan had died? What would I do then? What would… what would happen to me?_

“H-hey, Onii-chan?”

“Hm?”

“You said that I’m never gonna meet your other friends–”

“Operatives.”

“Operatives.” Kokichi fiddled with the long sleeve of his shirt. “I thought you guys were a bunch of bad guys. But that one man tried to save the other one. Even though it was too late. I didn’t think he would.” Kokichi lifted his head, eyes narrowed. “I need to learn more about the other operatives. I can’t lead them if I don’t know them. Give me all the information you can.”

Humming, Kagami straightened. He bit his thumb nail. “Aside from missions and training I never see the others. But I can tail them… If I was caught though, that’d be the end.” He nodded. “It will take time, but I can do it. I’ll compose files on every agent so you can analyze them.”

Sweat slid down Kokichi’s brow. The dead bodies of Anubis, the factory’s security guards, and two policemen flashed before his eyes.

_I can’t just have a mission that goes well. I have to choose strategies that will lead to the least amount of deaths on both sides! I won’t let anyone die anymore!_

* * *

Frowning, Kagami braced himself against the table, studying a map. A mess of blueprints, coded messages, and laptops covered the table. Mugshots of targets hung from a whiteboard. Drifting cans and tattered flyers littered the warehouse’s floor.

Kagami circled a location on the map. The base of the city’s biggest crime lord. Pharaoh’s next operation was raiding the hideout for weapons and street drugs to sell.

Exhaling, Isis leaned back against the table. Black leather jacket and skinny jeans. Kagami scoffed. _Impractical. Useless. Her love of fashion will be the death of her._

Isis twirled a finger around a strand of hair. Her strawberry blond hair was cut in a bob. “Another strat meeting of Osiris grilling you, huh?”

Kagami paused. Then he resumed writing.

Isis crossed her arms over her well-endowed chest. “Well, let’s see here. No masks on missions, leading point on your first operation, and you busy with this other classified mission aside from your agent training under me.” Isis smirked over her shoulder. “Osiris has got you working like a dog, Ammut.”

Ammut – Kagami’s code name. An Egyptian dog god, who ate the hearts of evil souls and was subservient to underworld gods Anubis and Osiris. Isis was the wife of Osiris, the most famous of Egyptian goddesses.

Frowning, Isis examined her nails. Kagami studied her in the corner of his eye. Thin oval face, ski-sloped nose, and slender figure. Mid-twenties. Isis hummed. “Osiris never gave quite the hazing before. What did you do to infuriate him so much?”

Kagami gripped the pen tighter.

Isis turned around. Finger to her cheek, Isis tilted her head to the side. “What’s the matter? Don’t you trust me?”

Kagami set the pen aside. “You should know by now your feminine wiles don’t work on me. And I don’t trust anyone.”

Isis’ green eyes pierced him. “You’re what? Nineteen? Twenty? You’re still young. _Si jeune_. What happened to you to make you this way?”

Kagami shrugged. “I’ve always been this way. For as long as I can remember, I’ve never felt a thing for anyone else. Probably anti-social personality disorder or something.”

Isis blinked. “ _I-Incroyable_. Explains why in the six months I’ve known you, you never cracked a smile once.”

Jaw set, Kagami sat down in the chair. He glanced beneath the table before scooting in. “Now if you’re done interrogating me, I need to–”

“Younger brother or sister?”

Kagami froze.

Isis smirked, but the light didn’t reach her eyes. “Every time you sit at a desk or table, you always look beneath it. Like you’re afraid of kicking something – or someone. And only a child could fit beneath a desk.”

Kagami gazed at the ground. Memories washed over him. The hours Kagami hand carved while beneath him Kokichi played chess on his DS, making ridiculous play-by-plays and shouting DBZ battle cries. Brow raised, Kagami would look down at the boy. “Will you shut up already?”

“Nee-heehee!” Kokichi wrapped his arms around Kagami’s legs. Chin on Kagami’s knee, Kokichi grinned up at him. “I will when you play with me. So, so? You gonna play chess with me? Nah, never mind. You don’t wanna lose again.”

Kagami flicked Kokichi’s cheek. “What was that, _Cheeky_ Kichi?”

“Noooothing! Or ooh, what about that fun, new game you showed me? Risk! I wanna play that. Please? Pleeeeeeease?”

“Okay, okay! Just quit your whining.”

Kokichi giggled.

Kagami shook the memory away. Swallowed.

Frowning, Isis stepped closer. “I had younger siblings too. Is yours all right? Being watched over by some–”

“He’s dead.”

Isis exhaled slowly. “Mine too.” Head bowed, Isis leaned back against the table. The strip light above them sparked, casting Isis in shadow briefly. “It’s ironic. The ghosts of those we kill on missions don’t haunt me as much as my siblings do. Whenever I see kids playing ball in the streets, hanging from monkey bars… they have my sisters’ and brothers’ faces. Does that ever happen to you?”

Kagami stared out into the darkness of the warehouse like looking into the belly of a beast.

“Yeah. Every single day.”

* * *

_January 2011_

Grinning, Osiris twisted off the cap of a vodka bottle. He poured it onto a shot glass resting on a white marble table. Sitting beside the Osiris, Kokichi crinkled his nose. “ _Ура_! To the New Year! May it be as successful as last year.” Osiris took a sip. “Ahhh!” Osiris clamped his hand on Kokichi’s shoulder. Shook it.

Laughing quietly, Kokichi smiled up at Osiris. _Don’t touch me. No – that is not me being touched by that evil man. That’s someone else. Armageddon. It’s not me._

“I never would have thought of stealing paintings other than the client requested while breaking in museums. Make more money by selling it. Or impersonating a foreign diplomat visiting the Spanish embassy as a distraction while we stole classified documents. Or, most impressive of all…” Osiris lifted his shot glass at Kagami, sitting across from them. Kagami stiffly nodded. “At only 30 strong, I never thought we’d have the manpower to steal from the US mint money factory. But because we caused a power outage and replaced what we stole with fake bills, they never suspected a thing! Now we have millions. Millions!”

Kokichi cast his gaze around the apartment. _And this is what you’re spending it on._ Low couches and lounges outfitted the living room. Crystal chandeliers dangled above their heads. A white marble kitchen. Above the couch an abstract painting hung. Black paint dripped down the canvas like blood. _Rich, fancy apartments and cars._

Drinking more vodka, Osiris leaned back in the chair. A year later, his belly had a bit more pouch. His beard scragglier. “Of course, this is all due to the rigorous training I’ve put you through.”

_You haven’t done anything. You don’t even go on missions anymore. Just sit back and bark orders._

“If I hadn’t picked you up from that hole in the ground, you’d still be living like sewage.”

“Yes, th-thank…” Bile arose in throat. Kokichi swallowed it. “Thank you.”

_That is not me saying nice things to that man. That is an evil boy called Armageddon. It’s not me. It’s not._

Standing up, Osiris approached the window, vodka in hand. Floor to ceiling windows showed the glowing night cityscape. “We haven’t incurred too many losses either! Usually I go through 5-6 agents a year. But we haven’t lost a single one since Horus and Anubis.” 

_But there’s all the security people Onii-chan and the others killed… No. They didn’t kill anyone. If Onii-chan hadn’t stopped the security people from attacking him, Onii-chan would be dead. He was protecting himself. And that’s okay._

Kagami stared pointedly at Kokichi. Narrowed his eyes. “Yes. It’s unusual to not have lost anyone, but good.”

Kokichi frowned. _Is he mad at me? Why would he be upset? Protecting people is good._

Turning, Osiris lifted his shot glass, smiling. “Why, in a few more years, we won’t need to play mercenary anymore. We can run our own ops! My timetable’s advanced by several years!” Chuckling, Osiris walked back to the couch. Set his hand on Kokichi’s head. Ruffled his hair. “Operation Armageddon is a smashing success!”

Kokichi’s eyes burned. “Yes. Yes it is.”

Osiris plopped down on to the couch. He generously refilled his shot glass. “Very good. That is all for today. You’re dismissed. Take him home, Ammut. Let him rest.”

Kagami shot to his feet. “Yes, sir.” To Kokichi, he ordered, “Come.”

Legs shaking, Kokichi followed his brother outside. The cold night air pierced through Kokichi’s jacket, chilling his core. Kokichi pulled down his winter hat over his eyes.

_I don’t have a home._

* * *

Grimacing, Kokichi sidestepped a punch. Ducked under Kagami’s roundhouse kick. _Osiris said I could rest! You never give me a break, not even for a sec–_

“Pay attention!” Kagami swept Kokichi’s legs out from underneath them. Crying out, Kokichi fell. Looming over him, Kagami reeled back a fist. Grunting, Kokichi rolled away.

Kokichi tried to rise. Grimacing, he hugged his stomach. On his hands and knees, Kokichi’s tears and sweat plipped onto the floor. _This is way worse than Daddy ever did._

Kagami towered over him, pacing around the boy. “You’re weak. Slow. Your form is sloppy.” He crouched down. Kokichi flinched away. “Is this a game to you?”

Kokichi froze.

“This another one of your chess matches? See how many people and pawns you can keep alive? This is the real world. If people discover what you’ve done… if it ever gets leaked that you’re the one masterminding it all, people will hunt you down and kill you. You have to be stronger.”

After a long moment, Kagami stood and began pacing again.

“I… I haven’t done anything wrong.” The walking stopped. Trembling, Kokichi kept his eyes on the wood floor. “I’m just protecting you. And you’re acting in self-defense.”

A laugh. Kokichi blinked. Eyes wide, he risked a glance over his shoulder. Kagami was laughing. In all of Kokichi’s life, he had never heard his brother laugh or smile. A chuckle, a smirk. But never throw his head back and laughing. Never.

Kokichi’s stomach clenched. “A… ah…”

A swift kick to the ribs.

_Snap!_

Crying out, Kokichi curled into a ball. He bit his lip to keep from whimpering. His brother’s voice sharpened like a blade. “If that’s the lie you want to tell yourself, go ahead. But you’ll only end up dead.” His brother’s sneer stretched across his face. “I might as well kill you now.”

Kokichi’s jaw clenched. “No…” Growling, Kokichi balled his hands to fists. “No, you won’t, Oni-chan!” Roaring, Kokichi jumped off the floor, fist reeled back.

_I’m gonna live!!_

* * *

Panting heavily, Kokichi lay on his back. His head throbbed. Broken finger stung. Twisted wrist smarted. Every time Kokichi tried to roll over and stand, his knee would buckle.

The heater hummed. Apartment creaked. Voices from lower floors drifted up through the floor. Kokichi’s head fell to the side. He squinted in the dark. Front door closed – Kagami had left ages ago. Darkness crept in the corners of his vision.

Kokichi’s eyes drifted closed. His black eye ached. Sweat matted his hair to his forehead.

_I don’t wanna be hurt anymore… I just want to… Wait, who’s saying that? Armageddon or me?_

“Who… who am I?”

Glimpses of memories flashed through his mind.

_“I just don’t wanna play by myself… But the kids at school push me around. My teachers yell at me. Daddy hits me. Why me? Why not you?”_

_“I am, I’m a thief. A liar. A bad boy. A bad, bad boy. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”_

_“No, I’m the bad guy. Cuz I’m a bad boy. But that’s okay. They’re way better than the boring, easy-to-read good guys!”_

_“S-stupid, Onii-chan. I’m beating you in chess, so I’m smarter. I’m the leader. You take orders from me.”_

_“A demon, my beloved Oni-chan. A demon.”_

_“I bow… to no one. Including you.”_

_“I’m better than him in every way.”_

_“I’ll be the worst villain the world has ever seen.”_

“Nee-hee…” A grin stretched unnaturally across Kokichi’s face. Tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. “Nee-heeheheheeeeheheheeeee!” Kokichi clawed his fingers. Arched his back and tilted his head up against the floor.

“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!”

* * *

With the moon high in the sky, Kagami and Isis ambled down a poor section of the Bronx. Jaw set, Kagami stuffed his hand in his trench coat’s pockets. “Why did you call me out here, Isis?”

“Oh? In the middle of something?” The petite Frenchwoman walked besides Kagami, only coming up to his shoulder. Despite the cold, she wore a revealing V-neck sweater and skin-tight pants. Isis raised a hand in a sweeping gesture. “But isn’t this _magnifique_? The crisp night air. The full moon. Stars twinkling…” She came to a stop. Turned towards him and smiled. In the moonlight, her strawberry blond hair glowed quicksilver. “Just you and me, standing under the lamplight. It’s nice, right?”

Kagami scanned the area. Houses crammed together, as if huddling for warmth. Smashed and boarded windows. Peeling paint. Only a few shifty-eyed pedestrians and cars passed by.

“Hardly.” Kagami whipped around. “So you aren’t training me. Utter waste of my time–”

A hand grabbed Kagami’s arm. A man with an overgrown beard smiled, showing his yellowed teeth. “Hey there. Mind sparing some change? I got a couple kids–”

Kagami violently wrenched back his arm. “Don’t you lie to me!” Crying out, the beggar fell on his backside. Kagami spat. “I can smell the beer your breath.”

The heavy-set man held up a hand. “Wait! It’s for the kids, I swear! I-It’s for their, uh, education!”

“You don’t care about them at all! You never did!” Kagami raised a fist. Through clenched teeth, he hissed, “Nothing but parasitic scum of the earth. If you really cared, then we… we wouldn’t be in this…!”

Isis seized Kagami’s wrist. “ _Arrêtez_.” Her green eyes softened. “You don’t have to beat yourself up for not protecting him. Your younger bro–”

Growling, Kagami ripped his arm free. “What do _you_ know? You couldn’t possibly understand!” The two stared off. Crying out, the beggar fled.

Isis crossed her arms against the cold. “It’s human to make mistakes. To be angry. Feel regret. You–”

“That’s not true!” Kagami balled his fist. “You know I don’t feel emotions right. I’m not human…” Kagami gazed at his hand. It still smarted from striking Kokichi earlier.

_“No, you won’t, Oni-chan!”_

Onii-chan with two “ii’s” meant older brother. With one “i” it took on a different meaning.

“I’m a demon.”

A demon.

The smell of car exhaust lingered in the air. In the distance, spouses yelled and smashed something. The wind blew litter around.

“Rehan.”

Kagami looked up. Isis, head arched back, was pointing to a star. “Then Alzuba and Marion and little Astin. Those were my siblings. We lived in the slums of Paris.”

Exhaling, Isis let her hand drop. She stared off into the distance. The streetlamp flickered on and off. “My father worked for a drug ring called Ouroboros. But Papa kept all the money for himself. We were lucky if we had a few pieces of bread every day. My siblings were little monsters, driven by hunger. I left them, thinking there would be one less mouth to feed, but…” Isis laughed. “I just wanted to escape it all. I joined the army. Then while deployed in Africa, I met…” Isis shook her head. “Afterwards, I came back to France. Swore that I would make my siblings happy. Protect them. But everyone… everyone was dead. I went back to the army. Found my way here.

“I don’t know if any of this means anything to you, but…” Eyes narrowed, Kagami studied her. Isis turned away. The wind blew through her hair. “I’ve made mistakes, too. Been angry and selfish and felt regret.” Eyes downcast, Isis murmured, “I wonder… why am I still alive? But if I die on a mission, then I’d have to face them all again…”

A car horn blared. Drivers cursed at each other.

Sighing heavily, Kagami strode past Isis, hands in his trench coat’s pockets. “If you die, then I’d be impressively bored.” He stopped walking. Smiled over a shoulder. “Besides, then who would take me on pointless walks during the full moon?”

Isis’ eyes shone.

“Don’t be afraid. You won’t die.” Kagami whipped around, coat flapping. “We have your back.”

Isis frowned. “‘We’…?”

But Kagami had already walked out of hearing range. 

* * *

_February 2011_

Kagami led the Kokichi by the hand through the tight theater seats. Trailers played on the wide screen upfront. Wide-eyed, Kokichi studied the other moviegoers. With the premiere of the latest superhero movie, the theater was packed. Frowning, Kagami brushed popcorn kernels off his seat. “Remember. Don’t talk, sit quietly. I’ll be right back with – Hey! What are you doing?”

Kokichi sat backwards on his seat, on his knees. Kokichi’s fingers had found a rip in the leather seat and was pulling out the stuffing. “Watching the exit.”

Kagami glanced around. People were murmuring to each other, sucking on oversized drinks. No one was watching them. Leaning in, Kagami whispered, “Sit down right. This isn’t a mission.” Kokichi didn’t move. Gaze downcast, he continued picking at the chair. Kagami inhaled sharply with his nose, smelling popcorn and beer. “Come on. You said you wanted to go to the movies before, didn’t–?”

“Are you gonna hurt someone?”

“What? No! I…” Jaw set, Kagami grabbed Kokichi’s hand away. “I said stop playing with that.”

“NO!” Scowling, Kokichi wrenched his arm back. “Don’t touch me!” He clawed at the thin leather covering. Pulled out larger pieces of stuffing.

People turned to watch. Shaking their heads, they whispered among themselves. Kagami tsked.

“Are you going to hurt someone?”

“I told you no! Why do you keep asking me?”

“You might change your mind.”

Brows furrowed, Kagami mouthed, “What?” Kokichi ripped off a huge chunk of the leather covering, exposing the stuffing beneath. Kagami sighed. “Listen. I… I have never lied to you.”

“Yes, you have. I don’t believe you. You’re gonna hurt someone. You always do. People hurt other people. They just do. So I don’t believe anyone.”

The theater lights dimmed. Gasping, Kokichi jerked his head up. “What’s going on?”

“The movie’s starting. Now _sit down–_ ”

“You need to leave.”

A hefty security man stood at the end of the row, flashlight shining on them. “We don’t take too kindly to…” His eyes flickered to Kokichi. “To those sort.”

Kokichi whipped his head around. He stared at the guard, eyes smoldering. Swallowing, the guard stepped back.

Exhaling, Kagami took Kokichi’s wrist and dragged him out. “No!” Kokichi cried, clawing at Kagami’s hand. “I said don’t touch me! Let me go!”

Kagami tightened his grip. Growling and whining, Kokichi clawed at Kagami’s hand the entire way out of the room.

In the theater’s foyer, Kagami stopped next to a concession stand. Releasing Kokichi, Kagami scolded, “Kokichi, what is–?”

Kokichi hissed, “That’s not my name.”

Lips parted, Kagami stared.

Turning away, Kokichi strode towards the theater doors.

* * *

_April 2011_

Kokichi turned the apartment’s oven knob on high. Placed the lid on the pot of water. Set a ten-minute timer. Sighed.

Yawning, Kokichi rubbed an eye. The glossy stovetop reflected Kokichi’s pale face. The dark circles under his eyes. Whenever Kokichi lay in his bed at night, hours would pass before he’d fall asleep. Then he’d toss and turn until sunrise.

Kokichi idly spun the box of spaghetti around in a circle on the counter. _Guess Onii-chan’s not coming home today…_

 _But what if he does?_ A thrill of nerves shot through him. _What if he’s got a dangerous new mission that I hafta think of how to do or else Osiris will punish me? Or if Onii-chan wants to do more self-defense training? I bet he’s watching me with some camera. Waiting for the right moment to attack. He could be watching me right n–_

Kokichi fisted the spaghetti box. “Stop it.” _I know there aren’t any cameras. I searched the apartment four times already. That’s not me who’s scared. It’s not. Hit the reset button._ Closing his eyes, Kokichi took several deep breaths. He breathed in the heavy city air from the open window above the sink. The sound of cars rushing past filled the silence. A clock ticked. Kokichi smiled. _There! All gone._

Kokichi’s stomach clenched. Hand over his mouth, the boy dashed to the bathroom. Threw up.

After washing his hands, Kokichi returned the kitchen. The timer blared. The water was boiling. Kokichi broke the spaghetti boxes over the counter’s edge.

A footstep.

Kokichi ducked. Flung the pot of boiling water behind him. Kagami jumped back. “Grgh!”

Biting his lip, Kokichi scanned the environment. _Dodge to the left, put the table between us. Or to the right behind the couch? Then what? What weapon could I attack w–?_

Kagami reeled back a fist. Kokichi flinched. Shut his eyes. Something touched his nose. Frowning, Kokichi opened his eyes. Kagami had stopped his fist just before Kokichi’s nose. “In a fight, you can’t hesitate. Shut off that overanalyzing brain of yours and follow your instincts. But the boiling water was a good trick though.” Smirking, Kagami flicked Kokichi’s cheek.

Kokichi blinked. He touched his cheek.

Exhaling, Kagami straightened. “Let’s see… you were making spaghetti? I can–”

“What’s in there?” Kokichi pointed to his brother’s suitcase.

“Worry about that lat–”

“Give it.”

After a moment, Kagami handed it over. Kokichi set the briefcase on the table and opened it. He thumbed through files. Through blueprints and details on security and guard rounds. “The Louvre? Seriously? Impossible. You might as well just shoot yourself.”

“Time is not an issue. Osiris wouldn’t mind if it took mon–”

“We don’t have enough people, weapons, or insider info we need to go up against such tight security. If we tried, some operatives would die and the rest be thrown in jail and then we’d never do another mission again.” Kokichi held the file out to him.

Kagami frowned. “This is the third op you’ve denied in two months. Osiris will be furious.”

“Then tell him to shoot himself. Forget the spaghetti. Can we have sushi for dinner? We haven’t had that in forever.”

Kagami studied Kokichi, dark eyes searching. The clock ticked down the seconds.

Exhaling, Kagami turned to the fridge for the fish.

* * *

Dishes clattering, Kokichi cleared the table. As he piles plates, he kept one eye on Kagami’s file. “This other one in Paris might be possible. Le Moose de Orsee.”

“ _Le Musée d'Orsay._ ”

Kokichi raised a brow. _Since when do you know French?_ “Whatever. I need a couple weeks to think strats.”

“Understood.” Kagami leaned back in his chair. “Now what are we going to play?”

Kokichi glanced over a shoulder. Behind the kitchen and dining table lay the small living room. Street Fighter II and the latest RPG game sat on the couch. In the past couple of months, Kagami had returned home more often. Made meals and played video games. Only mindless RPGs and fighting games, since chess and risk were too boring now.

“It doesn’t matter.” Dishes in hand, Kokichi walked towards the sink. “I don’t really care anym–Ah!”

_Crash!_

Kokichi tripped, dishes shattering.

“Are you hurt?” Kagami crouched down by Kokichi’s side. Slowly, Kokichi picked himself up onto his knees. A large shard protruded from his palm. Blood oozed. “I got it.” Kagami pulled out the piece, and covered the wound with Kokichi’s hand. “Squeeze tightly. That will stop the bleeding. I’ll get some bandages.”

Kokichi let his hand go. Watched his blood fall. Blood trickled onto the floor like sand in an hourglass.

A kitchen cabinet closed. Kagami placed a first aid kit on the counter. Opened it. Inside, scissors gleamed.

Kokichi’s heart seized. _He’s gonna…_

Bangs overcasting his eyes, Kagami held up the scissors. Snipped them. Grinned “C’mere, _Cheeky_ Kichi.”

_He’s gonna cut open my cheeks!_

“AAAAAHHH!” Screaming, Kokichi scooted back into the walls, hands shielding his face.

Eyes wide, Kagami jumped. The bandage roll he held tumbled to the ground. Kagami rushed and knelt by his side. “What’s going–?”

“Nooo!” Hand outstretched, Kokichi backpedaled into the corner of the kitchen. “Go AWAY!”

“Kokichi? Kokichi! What’s wrong? _Stop!_ ”

“Just go…” He hiccupped. Tears streamed down his face. “Just go away!” 

“It’s all right. I need to bandage–”

“Don’t! Don’t come any closer!” Sobbing, Kokichi curled up in ball. Clawed his head with his bloody hands. Rocked back and forth. “Don’t touch me, don’t touch me, don’t touch me, don’t touch me…” He sucked in a shaky breath. “Just please don’t…!”

Lips parted, Kagami leaned back. His outstretched hand dropped. Exhaling, Kagami closed his eyes. Stood up.

“Please don’t…”

Something struck Kokichi’s head. Everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If one of the scenes was familar to you, that's because it's the same as a flashback in another fic of mine, Taken, in which Kokichi taunts some Reserve Course students and he, Kaito, and Himiko are kidnapped in retaliation. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! It shouldn't be too long before I can post the climatic last and final chapter... ;)


	3. Chapter 3

_April 2011_

An EKG beeped. The IV line dripped. Blue curtains were tightly drawn over the window. Box TV shut off.

Kagami sat at the foot of a hospital bed, gazing at his younger brother. At Kokichi’s face, white as the bedsheets. At the dark circles under his eyes. Limp, sweaty bangs. Kagami exhaled. Aside from briefly waking once, Kokichi had slept for 18 hours straight.

The heart monitor’s beeping increased. Groaning, Kokichi cracked open his eyes.

Kagami leaned in. “How are you feeling?”

After a moment, Kokichi sat up on his elbows. The blanket fell, showing his yukata hospital gown. Blinking slowly, he looked around. “Where… What’s going on?” he asked, voice raspy.

“You tripped while carrying dishes, cutting yourself.” Kagami bit his thumb nail. He could still hear Kokichi screaming. Hear his sobs as he curled in a ball, begging not to be touched. _The moment I picked up the roll of bandages you started screaming. Just what did you think I was going to do?_

Frowning, Kokichi gazed at his bandaged hand. “You mean this? It doesn’t hurt too much. So why am I here…?”

Kagami studied the boy in the corner of his eye. Kagami could see the bones of Kokichi’s arm. _The nurse said he’s very underweight and dehydrated. Either he’s not eating and drinking enough or…_ “Now listen to me. Answer honestly. Have you been throwing up?”

Kokichi flinched. Exhaling, he lay back against the pillows. “Y-yeah…”

Closing his eyes, Kagami inhaled deeply. The sharp tang of antiseptic stung his nose. “How often?”

Kokichi’s eyes fluttered closed. “I dunno… Several times a week.”

“Why? Is it because you’re scared?”

Kokichi balled the bedsheets. “No, I’m not scared. That’s not me.” Kokichi’s grip loosened as he mumbled, “Hit reset button. Don’t feel anything…”

Kagami froze. _Reset button?_

“Hey… can we leave? I don’t like hospitals. Not since…”

Kagami stiffened. Images flashed before his eyes. Kagami stumbling upon their father whipping Kokichi. Stabbing their parents. Setting the house on fire. Kokichi, in a hospital bed, crying over their deaths.

When Kokichi hadn’t stopped crying, Kagami had said, “I… I can be. I can be your Dad. And maybe… Who knows? Maybe I’ll find someone to be your mom. If there’s any kids, you’d be the older brother. That would be a new family.”

Kagami balled his fists so tightly his knuckles went white. “All right. We can leave once you’re better. Rest now.”

“Mm.” The beeping slowed as Kokichi drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Elbow on the counter, Kagami eyed a glass of red wine. The flute sparkled in the light of low hanging bulbs. Kagami brushed off some spilled ash from a ashtray off the counter. The bar counter bore years of scrapes and grooves like a war vet’s scars. Behind the counter bottles of every shape, color, and size were stocked on the shelves. Kagami downed the glass in one swallow. Exhaling, he set it down. Kagami nodded at the man on the neighboring seat. “You going to finish that?”

The man spat at the ground.

Smirking, Kagami helped himself. Exhaling slowly, Kagami swiveled around on the bar stool. Arms out the side, he gazed across the bar. Booths and rickety circular tables. Old photos of the previous bar owners. A dingy large window showing the night city’s streets.

And at a table in the center sat four men tied up. Slicked back hair. Classily dressed in suits. But their faces bore pockmarks and knife scars running down their cheeks. The man in the back bore a snake tattoo on the back of his hand. They glared at Kagami.

The front door opened. Frowning, Isis entered, eyes scanning the room. “What…?” She nearly stepped on the lookout man who lay on the floor that Kagami had bound. Gasping, she clutched her chest. “ _Putain!_ ”

Kagami chuckled.

“Ammut? You did–?” Pale, Isis covered her mouth with a hand. “That tattoo!”

Smiling, Kagami lifted his wine glass. “I give you the leader of Ouroboros, Paris’ biggest drug lord. And, as it so happens, he was in the middle of a meeting with other crime bosses.”

“W-why…? Why would you do this?”

Setting the glass down, Kagami stood. He met her gaze. “Because I still have the chance to make things better. Now you do too. Do with them as you will.”

Isis studied Kagami for a long moment. The operative unholstered her gun beneath her black leather jacket. Like a black panther she strode towards the men, slyly grinning. Then, eyes blazing, she shoved the gun between Ouroboros’ eyes. “My name is Cesarine Arnaud. My papa Emeril worked under you for years. What happened to my family?”

“Arnaud, huh? Hmph.” Sweat beaded at the drug leader’s temple. “I heard that while he was drunk, Arnaud started arguing with his wife. Grabbed a gun. The kids somehow got in the mix. You can figure out the rest.”

Isis gazed at the ground. “I see…”

“I ain’t gonna make up some fairytale that he tried to flee–”

_Bang!_

He slouched back in his chair, blood dripping from a hole in his forehead. In a blink of an eye, Isis shot the other five men dead. She lowered the gun. Bowed her head. Breathed deeply.

The smell of blood and booze hung heavy in the air. In the distance cars rushed past.

Kagami took a few steps forward. “What are you feeling?”

Isis shook her head. “Well, at least if I die tomorrow I can tell my family I sent six others down to hell where they belong. One for each one taken from me.” She bit a lip. Sighed. “If I was there, I could have thrown away the gun beforehand or helped my siblings escape…”

“ _Tu es là maintenant._ ”

“What?” Blinking, Isis turned around.

“ _Tu es là maintenant._ You’re here now. What? Was I off?”

“Off? _Off?_ ” Isis’ shoulders shook. Then she burst out laughing. She wiped away a tear, smiling. “Your pronunciation was horrid, you emphasized all the wrong syllables, and…” Isis grabbed Kagami’s collar and pulled him close. She grinned. “The French use more tongue.” She kissed him hard.

Kagami stiffened. Then he gripped her tight, pulling her closer.

* * *

Kagami leaned forward on the park bench, resting his elbows on his knees. “So? See anything interesting?” he asked Kokichi.

Pale, Kokichi slouched back against the wood slat bench. Kagami bit back a sigh. _Still underweight._ Since Kokichi’s hospital visit, Kagami made larger meals when home and packed food for him for when Kagami was gone. _It’s only been a week. He’ll gain weight soon._

Kokichi’s eyes flickered over the sight before them. Laughing, a dozen kids played on the slides, monkey bars, and rock climbing. A small pond shimmered in the sunlight. Parents helped their toddlers feed ducks. Others sat on benches on the shore, reading or talking on the phone. Beyond them lay a road with cars packed bumper to bumper and the cityscape.

Kokichi shook his head marginally. “Nope. Nuthin’ interesting.”

Kagami jutted his chin out. “See that girl?” Twenty yards in front of them a girl sat on a roundabout. She held the handlebars, but instead of running around in a circle to spin it, she stared off into empty space. “She’s your target.”

Kokichi frowned. “But she’s just some girl. Plain. Boring.”

“She’s around your age. Talking to her should be simple enough. And don’t worry about the language barrier. She knows English.” Kokichi raised a brow. But after a moment, he pushed himself off the bench. “Hold on.” Kagami retrieved a folded brown T-shirt from his file folder bag. “Wear this.”

Kokichi quickly replaced his old shirt with the offered one. Eyes narrowed, Kokichi rescanned the park. Spied an abandoned soccer ball. Kicked it towards the girl. “Watch out!”

The girl ducked. Kokichi jogged up to her. “Sorry! I didn’t see you there. Are you okay…?”

“Oh, I’m Eloise. I’m fine.”

Holding the soccer ball, Kokichi sat down next to her. “I’m Ahiko.”

Despite the distance, Kagami heard them clearly over his ear piece. The shirt Kokichi wore was bugged.

Eloise gasped. “That shirt – you visiting France to see the national history museum?”

Eyes wide, Kokichi looked down at his shirt. It bore the logo of a museum – Pharaoh’s latest target. 

“My dad works there,” Eloise continued, head bowed. “Well. Not anymore. He was a security guard and two weeks ago some bad guys broke in and…” Her eyes welled with tears. “Maman said he’s a hero.”

The ball fell from Kokichi’s hands.

“Papa and I used to come to this park every weekend. When I was younger, we would go searching for fossils to dig up.”

Kokichi whimpered. Rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands.

“Papa loved working there. Maman said he must have been proud to protect our history. B-but I just wanna look for fossils with him again…”

Bending over, Kokichi sobbed. “I’m sorry…!! I’m so sorry…”

Kagami listened to his wails over the mike.

A woman dressed in black sat on a nearby bench, talking on the phone. Ending the call, she rushed over, speaking rapid French. Eloise stood up and pointed to Kokichi. She shrugged. Exhaling, the mother crouched down and hugged Kokichi tight. Hiccupping, Kokichi buried his face in her shoulder. “Why are you crying? _Là là. Ce n'est pas de ta faute._ It’s not your fault, dear child.”

Kokichi gripped her tightly. His teary eyes blazed. “I’ll make things right. I swear I will.”

Kagami touched his ear piece, listening. He nodded.

* * *

Face puffy and swollen, Kokichi tottered back to Kagami sitting on the bench. The boy’s red eyes searched Kagami. “Onii-chan…”

“What?”

A gentle blew past, carrying the laughter of kids. Tree’s leaves rustled. “If… if I thought of a better plan, could I have saved his life?”

Kagami shook his head. “He’s dead. There’s nothing you can do for him.” Kagami held out a popsicle. “But you’re still alive. Now. At this moment.”

Kokichi gasped. Fresh tears welled up. Smiling, he accepted the treat.

“Oh.” Kagami retrieved Kokichi’s old t-shirt from his file folder. “Here.”

Kokichi bit his lip, thinking. “No, that’s okay. I’ll keep this on.”

Kagami exhaled a laugh. Licking popsicles, they walked home, holding each other’s hand.

_You’ve become strong, brother._

* * *

_June 2011_

Groaning, Kokichi opened his eyes. Bright screens shone. He blinked rapidly and sat up. Rows of monitors showed security feed. Keyboards lay on the desk before him. Computers hummed. Large fans blew, but the van was still overheated.

_This is Pharaoh’s security camera van. But why…?_

A metallic smell hung heavy in the air. Frowning, Kokichi turned his head to the side.

Blood. Blood had splashed against the van’s wall. A man lay on the ground, unfocused gaze staring out into the distance. Osiris.

 _Onii-chan. You…_ Kokichi’s heart pounded. _Just what are you planning?_ Onscreen, Pharaoh agents dressed in black raced through the United States Embassy in Tokyo. Kagami and Isis led point. _But whatever it is…_

Kokichi launched out of his seat, stole the coms ear device from Osiris, and burst out the van’s doors.

_I won’t let you win! I’m going to end it all._

* * *

Kagami and Isis strode through the halls of the embassy. They wore suits with fake IDs on their lapels to blend in with security. Landscape paintings and consoles lined the walls. Gathered blue drapes decorated the tall windows. Their footsteps barely made a sound on the plush bohemian carpet. Up ahead lay wooden double doors. A gold plaque besides the doors read “Alexander Jefferson, US Ambassador to Japan”.

Kagami’s hand strayed to his hip. _It won’t be long now. This will be my last kill._

A static crackling burst at their ears. Crying out, Kagami and Isis held their heads.

A garbled, electronically faked voice said, “Osiris is dead. Someone within your group has killed him.”

All the blood drained from Kagami’s face.

“Wha-what?!” Isis spluttered. “Osiris…?”

The voice continued, “You do not know who I am. But I know you. I have been masterminding all of your operations for the past two years. Gathering information on you. Information that I have leaked online for all the world to see. And at this moment the SDF, FBI, and CIA are hunting for intruders. For you. Whether you flee or try to find me or the traitor to Pharaoh is up to you. But know this.”

Isis swore, “ _Mon Dieu._ We have to get out of here! Ammut? Ammut!”

Kagami bolted down the hall. Burst through the double doors.

Sitting on the executive desk, legs crossed and hand on an ear piece, sat Kokichi. He grinned. “Pharaoh is dead. And I killed it.”

“Kokichi…” Kagami murmured. “What are you doing? You were supposed to run!”

Isis ran into the room, gun in hand. “What the hell is going–? A child?”

The bald, hefty Ambassador stood up. “More of them? This is outrageous! My guards–”

Kokichi growled. “Shut up.”

_Bang! Bang!_

Kokichi fired backwards on either side of the ambassador’s head, millimeters from striking him. He passed out.

Kokichi blew on the smoke rising from his gun. The light from a large arched window behind him cast Kokichi in shadow. “Surprised?” Kokichi idly turned the gun this way and that, examining it. “I snuck out of our apartment all the time to practice shooting. Nee-heehee! Betcha you never thought I had the guts to do that! Well, you see, Onii-chan…”

Tears bubbled up in Kokichi’s eyes. Sniffing, he wiped them away. He whimpered, “Please don’t… don’t touch me. Don’t hurt me…” Kokichi grinned unnaturally wide. “It was all a lie!! Ah-hahahaha!”

Kagami stared, mouth agape. He whispered, “What have I done…?”

Isis backed up a step. Glanced at Kagami. “Onii-chan? You…”

Kokichi spread his arms wide, gesturing to the US flag and world map covering the walls. “Yes! It was a lie! All to get you to drop your guard. ‘Show your enemies your flaws. Watch them grow complacent and weak. Then strike.’” Laughing, Kokichi aimed the gun at Kagami with both hands. A manic gleam shone in his eyes. “‘Victory shall be yours.’”

Jaw clenched, Kagami braced his feet and crouched slightly, ready to pounce.

Frowning, Kokichi spun the gun around a finger. “You act like you don’t have emotions, Onii-chan. Like you’re invincible. Untouchable.” Kokichi pressed the gun to his temple. “But I’ll show you just how wrong you are.”

Kagami’s heart seized.

“Don’t!” Isis screamed.

Kokichi lowered his gaze. “If after I die, you care about me, even for just an instant…” Kokichi’s eyes hardened like flint. “Then I will have won.” A tear slid down his face. Voice shook. “That’s all I… all I ever wanted.” Tears brimming in his eyes, Kokichi cocked the gun. Voice even, he intoned, “I am Kokichi Oma. I am Armageddon. And I will end your world.”

“NO!”

_Bang!_

Isis shot Kagami’s knee. Biting back a scream, Kagami collapsed. Isis lunged towards Kokichi, arm outstretched.

_Bang!_

Isis pushed Kokichi back. The bullet from Kokichi’s gun grazed the boy’s forehead. Blood gushed from the cut. Grunting, the two fell to the ground. Isis wrestled the gun from Kokichi’s grasp. Kicked it away. Kokichi rolled away.

“Goddamn…!” Kagami struggled to stand.

Isis tackled him to the ground. They struggled for control over Kagami’s gun.

“Aa… ahhh!” Kokichi scooched back against the wall, clutching his bleeding head.

Isis whipped her head up, sweat dripping off her erratic bangs. Spittle flying, she screamed, “LIIIVE!” Flinching, Kokichi locked eyes with her. Growling, Isis fired rounds into the wall next to him. Crying out, Kokichi fled out the door.

“You–!” Kagami started.

Isis grabbed Kagami’s gun and wrenched it sideways, twisting Kagami’s wrist. She threw it aside. Pinned Kagami’s arms with her knees. Shoved her gun between Kagami’s eyes. “How could you. How could you do to that your brother?!”

Kagami stared dully off in the distance. A hollow laugh rumbled in his chest. “Yes, how could I…?”

Snarling, Isis’ trigger finger tightened.

“Listen.” Isis froze. “You didn’t save him. He doesn’t have anywhere to go. Three days from now is his birthday; he’ll kill himself then. You have to find him.”

“What…?”

“Every second counts, Isis. I’m sure he’s plotted out three different escape routes. And the FBI and other Pharaoh agents are looking for us. For Kokichi. If they find him, being dead would be a mercy. You _have_ to go.”

“Killing you would only take a second.”

Kagami’s dark eyes gazed at Isis. “Which matters more? Taking a life or saving one?”

Isis’ lips parted. She stared directly into Kagami’s dark eyes. At his messy bangs. His ever-unchanging flat affect. Isis panted heavily. Grit her teeth so hard it hurt. Isis tightened her grip on her gun.

* * *

Kokichi sat beside a dumpster in an graffitied alley way. The sweltering heat greatly magnified the trash’s rancid stench. Sweaty pasted his bangs to his pale face. The boy’s stomach growled. Kokichi pressed his chaffed knees to his chest. “Happy… happy birthday to me.” Sniffing, Kokichi dropped his head to his knees. _What am I saying? I should have never been born_.

“Hey, you.”

Kokichi raised his head. Blinking, he squinted in the sunlight. A woman was holding a Chinese takeout box towards him. “Here. You can have this.”

Kokichi tentatively smiled. Reached out a trembling hand. Darkness kept in the corners of his vision.

Then he saw nothing. His world went black.

* * *

As the Monokuma and the Monokubs laughed, Kokichi glanced down at his Monopad. _Killing game?_ Jaw clenched, Kokichi tightly gripped the device. _Seems I need to play Armageddon again._

The Monopad showed the killing game rules. How the killing game would continue until only two survivors were left.

Kokichi narrowed his eyes. _No matter the lie, no matter the sacrifice… even if it costs me my life, I will win this game. End it._

_No._

Kokichi turned around and walked towards the exit. His grin stretched across his face. _I will_ ruin _this game! I’ll cast them into the darkest depths of despair!_

“Nee-heehee… Ah-hahahahahaha!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this fic is finished, the series has another sequel in which Kokichi recovers from trauma he experienced and forms DICE. I'll definitely write it, but I'm going to type up other fics first. 
> 
> Thank you for reading until the end! I hope you enjoyed my possible take on Kokichi's backstory!!


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